OMG you guys… This Curried Tofu Salad is SO GOOD and SO PERFECT for summer. So good, in fact, that I made twice in a row because after after it was gone, I still wanted more. It’s incredibly fast to prepare (ten minutes, max), very cold and refreshing, light yet surprisingly filling, inexpensive, and so nom-nom delicious! And the best part is that there is no need to press the tofu or any of the other usually arduous steps required when making tofu dishes. Just mix everything together and enjoy.
How to Serve Curried Tofu Salad
Just like with any type of chicken or egg salad, you can stuff this into a tortilla to make a wrap, scoop it up with crackers, serve it over a bed of greens, or just go at it with a spoon (that’s how I ate it for lunch today). So, you can make a batch and eat it a different way each day throughout the week. :)
What Type of Tofu Should I Use?
I highly suggest using extra firm tofu for this instead of just firm tofu. The extra firmness gives this salad a little body so that it’s not just a mushy mess. I also have to note that not all brands of tofu are created equal. I’ve made this with two different brands so far (Soy Boy and Simply Organic) and they differed in firmness and flavor, despite both being “extra firm.” I definitely preferred the Soy Boy, although I gobbled up the Simply Organic just as readily.
What Kind of Curry Powder is Best?
Curry powders can vary quite a bit from brand to brand, so you may need to experiment a little to find one that you like the best. You can use any type of curry powder for this recipe, including hot or mild varieties. If you’d like to try making your own curry powder, try this recipe for Easy Homemade Curry Powder from Spiceitupp.com.
Other Add-In Ideas
If you want even more texture in your salad, you can add in a variety of other ingredients that you may have on hand. I wouldn’t go out of my way to purchase these specifically for the salad, but if I had them on hand I would toss them in: finely diced red onion, shredded carrot, sliced almonds, cashews, diced celery, sliced green onions, or dried mango.
Substitutions
I know, I know, some of you just can not do cilantro. While I do believe the cilantro offers a unique freshness to this salad, I suppose I’ll be okay if you using sliced green onion instead. ;) They have totally different flavors, but green onion does also add an element of freshness.
You can use plain traditional yogurt in place of the Greek yogurt if needed, just be aware that your dressing will not be quite as thick.
Want more recipes with curry powder? Check out our Curry Powder Recipe Archives!
Curried Tofu Salad
Servings 4 3/4 cup eachIngredients
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise ($0.41)
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt ($0.71)
- 1 tsp lemon juice ($0.20)
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard ($0.03)
- 1 tsp honey (0.04)
- 1/2 Tbsp curry powder ($0.15)
- 1/2 tsp salt ($0.02)
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro ($0.12)
- 14 oz. extra firm tofu ($1.79)
Instructions
- Remove the tofu from its package and allow it to drain in a colander as you prepare the dressing.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, yogurt, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, curry powder, salt, and chopped cilantro.
- Crumble the drained tofu into the bowl with the dressing, then stir to combine. Serve immediately, or refrigerate until you’re ready to eat.
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Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Make Curried Tofu Salad – Step by Step Photos
Remove a 14oz. block of extra firm tofu from its package and allow it to drain in a colander as you prepare the dressing for the salad.
To prepare the dressing, stir together 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1 tsp honey, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1/2 Tbsp curry powder, and 1/2 tsp salt.
Then stir in about 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro.
Crumble the block of tofu into the bowl…
Then just stir everything together! That’s it! I had a hard time not eating it straight out of the bowl…
I love this Curried Tofu Salad when it’s ice cold. SO GOOD. And, to my surprise, the flavor did not get more dull with overnight refrigeration. #win
Hi Beth. I have my first food processor. I wonder if a good idea to pulse these items or is the texture important? I have never had tofu salad before. I am trying new things.
I think that the tofu is so soft that even a few pulses in the food processor would be too much. Just stir and mash it with a fork in a bowl. It will be a lot easier to clean than the food processor, as well. ;)
This is magical stuff! I made the dried mango, scallion, and cashew version and we could not stop eating it. I needed to make it dairy free, so I used 1/2 Cup of Just Mayo and 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice and it was perfect. For the next batch, in order to save on fat and calories, I’ll combine 1/4 Cup each of mayo and plain soy yogurt. I had wondered if a plant-based yogurt would be distracting, but there is so much exquisite flavor going on here that it should be fine.
OMG…this reminds me of something my mom used to make with tofu, mayo, shredded carrots and some seasoning mix that I can’t remember the name of :D It was delicious on rice cakes on a hot summer day.
This is SO SO good. I added shredded carrots, green onion, and green bell pepper. I think I’ll add goat cheese and cucumber to the individual servings. For anyone who dislikes cilantro try mint instead!! I forgot to grab cilantro but have a garden full of mint. it’s just the brightness and balance the curry needs. I will be eating this for awhile :) Thanks Beth!!!
This was amazing. Even my 9 year old daughter ate it. We served it on cucumbers from our garden and it is going in lunch tomorrow.
Holy frijole, this is delicious! Eggs and I haven’t gotten along for quite some time, and I’ve really missed egg salad. This is a perfect substitute! I had some chickpeas hanging around, so I mashed them and threw them in as well. Perfect!
I only have firm tofu on hand. If its drained and pressed will that come fairly close to matching the extra firm?
Yes, it will still work. Extra firm tofu is just firm tofu that has more liquid expelled. :)
This looks amazing going to make it for meal prep next week! How long do you think it stays fresh in the fridge?
About 4-5 days. I enjoyed the leftovers all week. :)
Wow! I’ve never had cold tofu, so I was a little hesitant. I’m so glad I gave this recipe a shot! It is super delicious!
I’m so glad you gave it a try! This one even surprised me! :)
This was great. I added carrot matchsticks and green peas. It’s definitely going into frequent lunch rotation. My grocery store, Publix, carries pressed tofu now which is quick and easy to dice.
Oh my word, this was DELICIOUS!!!! Am wondering if I can use this method with other “dressing” recipes..options would be endless!! Thank you so much for a great recipe!!!
OH MY GAWD this was AMAZING, after I finished prepping I tasted it, walked into the next room and told my husband “I’m sure I’d get sick of it at SOME point but I want to eat this every day for the rest of my life”. ALL OF THE STARS <3
Yay! That’s EXACTLY how I felt!! :D
Just made this salad with your suggestions of celery, onion, and cashews, all of which I had on hand. Wonderful salad. I added more curry powder to taste. I can see that this is a very versatile dish, and can be adjusted to suit various tastes. Thank you so much! This is a keeper!
This was great! I had a bit of extra time so I sliced and seared my tofu a little bit instead of putting it right into the bowl. Not enough to cook it all the way through but just to give it a little more body when it all got mixed together. I have 4 delicious, way easy work meals for this week thanks to this!
Reading this reminds me of a dish my dad made when I was a kid, he called Tofu Scramble. I think it must have been published in Vegetarian Times, because this was pre-internet days and good vegetarian recipes were not easy to find. Anyway, I never loved tofu but I enjoyed that scramble, and I think this curried salad looks delicious!
Haha, that reminds me that “tofu scramble” was one of the first vegetarian things I tried to cook when I was a teenager and mine did NOT turn out well. LOL! Thanks for that funny memory!
This looks amazing and I cannot wait to try it! I want to make it dairy free, but I’m not sure a plant based yogurt would work well. Should I just skip the yogurt and double the mayo, or would you recommend replacing the yogurt with something else?
I think you could double the mayo, but I definitely like the lightness that the yogurt brings to the dish. If you’re feeling experimental, perhaps you could try a store bought non-dairy yogurt.